One Day
by Jenn11
Summary: On the one year anniversary of Ashley's death, John and Helen get a 'gift' from a very unexpected source. One day together.
1. Chapter 1

One day

A/N: So, this is my first Helen/John fic. Hope you like it. Feedback (good or bad) is greatly appreciated.

Helen stood on the North Tower of Sanctuary watching the sunrise. One year ago her daughter, her beautiful, strong daughter, had died. Feeling a presence behind her, she turned and saw John, just as she knew she would. Even before the Source Blood John's presence had been unmistakable.

"John."

"The EM shield is down," he noted.

"Yes. Something told me that today, of all days, it was safe to turn it off. Was I wrong?"

"No. Today… I am myself. The energy elemental was… pleased, that I let it have so much freedom against the Cabal last year. As a show of gratitude, this one day a year it will sleep, and let me be myself, while it dreams of what Jack did in London, and what I did to the Cabal."

Helen was a curious at the distinction John made between himself and The Ripper. He saw the look in her eyes and explained. "What happened in London, I didn't want or enjoy. It wasn't my choice. What happened to the Cabal… I chose that. I wanted it, and I… enjoyed it. As you once told me, it would be too easy to blame everything on the Elemental. I will take the blame for things I choose, and want. But not for things I didn't want or choose."

Helen nodded, accepting his explanation.

"You were able to communicate with it?" she asked.

"Not in the usual way. I simply… understood. It's something that has begun happening since I learned it was a separate entity, and tried to communicate with it. I feel, and understand, its intent and emotions – as it does mine. Can I stay with you for the day?" he asked.

"Yes," Helen agreed, smiling, and holding out her hand. Today, she needed John. She could see in his eyes, and hear in his voice, that he was John, not Jack. Her John. Her love. The man she'd given her heart to more than a century past.

He took her hand, and gently pulled her close. She rested her head on his chest, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her close, and placed a kiss on the top of her head as her tears began to fall. Despite the sadness of the day, John was glad to have Helen in his arms again. It felt to perfectly right – as it always had. Her soft warmth felt like heaven to him – a heaven he didn't deserve, but couldn't refuse. Helen felt like she would fall apart if John released her. His strong arms supported and protected her; offered her shelter, and a comfort that could be found no where else.

Neither was sure how long they'd been up there when the sound of the door opening drew their attention.

"Will," Magnus greeted, not moving from John's arms.

"Magnus… Druitt," Will said, his tone cautious.

"It's fine, Will. Was there something you needed?"

"Just wanted to see if you were okay. Big Guy got worried when he took you some tea and you weren't in your room."

"I'm sorry I worried you. I'll speak to Big Guy," Helen said, reluctantly stepping away from John. But she did take his hand in hers, and they followed Will down to join the others for breakfast.

"I'm sorry I worried you, old friend," Helen told Big Guy, resting her free hand on his arm.

"Glad you were not alone," he said, glancing at Druitt.

"So am I," she replied, glancing back as John.

Within moments, they were all sitting and eating.

"Magnus and I have been working on a way to confine the energy elemental once it's out of you," Henry said. "I think we're getting close."

"I've even considered asking Tesla to help, but he's out of touch right now. I'm sure you'll be able to find him when it's time for him to drive that thing out of you," Helen added.

"Thank you, Henry. Helen," Druitt said. "I'd just as soon Tesla's involvement be as limited as possible."

"So… I know _**why**_ you're here, and I'm sorry about Ashley, but… how?" Kate asked; bringing up the subject they'd all been avoiding.

"I teleported," John replied, deadpan.

Kate gave him a dirty look. "I mean, how is it _**you**_, not Jack."

"The energy elemental was pleased that I let it have so much freedom against the Cabal last year. As a show of gratitude, this one day a year it will sleep, and let me be myself, while it dreams of what Jack did in London, and what I did to the Cabal."

Like Helen, Will caught the distinction between 'Jack' and 'I'. His training in psychology let him accurately guess what John had explained to Helen.

Kate fell silent. She'd seen and done a lot of strange things, but sitting down to a nice breakfast with Jack the Ripper…

Thinking about it, Kate felt bad for Helen and John. They got one day a year together, and it was the day their daughter died.

Helen had cleared her schedule for the day, knowing she wouldn't be able to focus on work. Once they had finished eating she turned to Will. "Please take care of things here. John and I are… going out for the day."

"Of course," Will agreed.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," John said, before teleporting away. He returned several minutes later with a large bouquet of peach/pink roses. Helen got the flowers she'd bought the day before, and they went to Ashley's grave.

They placed the flowers; then Helen stood in front of John, his arms around her, her hands resting on his arms.

Helen talked for a while, telling Ashley about the last year. How much she'd missed her and thought of her.

"I wish we'd had more time, and that you could have known me as I am. I wish I could have been the father you deserved. I treasure the moments we had together. I love you, daughter," John said, his voice soft and full of emotion.

"Please take me somewhere, John. I don't care where. Just… away."

"I just want to say good bye to James."

"Of course."

John stepped away, over to James' grave. "I miss you, old friend. I hope that, in whatever after life you're in, you've found peace… and that I can one day join you – no matter how little I deserve it."

"John, you do deserve it. I was… harsh with you that day. I can see better now that it was the elemental, not you. By hosting and controlling it, you've saved countless lives. You deserve peace. You deserve happiness. I'm only sorry we didn't know the problem sooner, so that we could have been working to solve it. James would have been a great help," she added, glancing back at the grave.

"Yes, he would," John agreed.

John teleported them to a secluded corner of the Oxford campus. He was determined that they honor and mourn their daughter, but also have some good memories of the day. The memories would have to last them a year. They walked around for over an hour, sometimes stopping to sit on a bench. Talking about their times there. Happy times with the Five.

Next John teleported them to the Coast. They sat watching the waves and talking for a few hours, then ate lunch at a little café.

"Take me home," Helen requested.

He teleported them to the North Tower. "There's something I want to show you," Helen said, leading him to her private sitting room. She pulled out a box, and opened it. Inside were pictures and a number of small items. John picked up the picture of an adorable blonde baby.

"Even then, she had your eyes. It was the first thing James and I noticed," Helen said. They spent the rest of the afternoon looking through the box, as Helen told John about Ashley's life.

John teleported them to Paris for dinner. The restraint had a small dance floor, and once they'd finished eating, John held out his hand. "Dance with, Love?"

Helen smiled, and rested her hand in his. Others watched the couple dancing; unable to miss how graceful they were, and how perfectly they moved together. Helen closed her eyes, and remembered dancing with John over a century before. It made her pulse race now, just as it had then.

After several dances, Helen looked up at John. "Let's go home," she requested, her voice and eyes telling him what would happen once they were alone.

Minutes later John teleported them into her sitting room. Without fully breaking contact, Helen led him into her bedroom.

"Helen, are you sure? I don't want the memory of this night to make things worse for you tomorrow."

"I'm sure, John. I've never stopped loving you. And if one day a year – one night – is all we can have, I refuse to waste it."

Once they'd made love Helen fell into a light doze. John was tired, but stayed awake, enjoying the feeling of having Helen with him again, her soft warmth curled against him.

A short time later, Helen opened her eyes to find John watching her. "You didn't sleep?"

"No. I won't lose a minute of this day," he said, then kissed her bare shoulder.

"No one else has shared my bed," she admitted.

"Helen…" John said, gentle reproach in his tone. He had no doubt she'd been with other men in the more-than-a-century since he'd left her.

"I've had lovers, but it was always their bed, or a hotel. And I always left. I never actually slept with them, as in falling asleep. I never… trusted anyone enough to let them into my bed, or let myself be vulnerable enough to fall asleep in their arms," she explained.

"I'm sorry. That lack of trust was no doubt because of me."

"You misunderstand. I wasn't saying that to make you feel guilty. I was saying it so that you'd know I trust you. This one day a year, I can trust you, as I once did. That is precious to me."

"And me," he replied before capturing her lips. Her trust had always been precious to him, and he was pleased to have some measure of it back. After they'd made love again, Helen was still tired, but fought sleep, not wanting to lose the few hours she had left with John.

"Sleep, Helen. You need it," John encouraged, rubbing his hand in soothing motions on her back.

"I need you. I can sleep tomorrow," she replied. One of her hands was entwined with one of his, and she brought his hand to her lips and kissed it.

"I've missed this… us," he said.

"So have I. No one else has ever compared," she admitted.

"Well, my male ego is very happy to hear that," John admitted, his tone smug.

Half an hour before dawn, John moved away from Helen.

"Already?"

"Yes. I need to be away from here before dawn. I love you, Helen. Always. Even when you see Jack, the part of me deep inside, that is still John, loves you."

"I love you, John. For eternity."

She moved to get up and dress, but he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'd rather remember you as you look now," he said, taking in the image of her; barely covered by a sheet, hair in disarray, and lips still swollen from his kisses.

"We'll keep working on a way to contain that thing, so you can be free of it," she promised.

"I'll see you next year, Love."

"Next year," she sighed.

He teleported away – to the graves. He stood in front of them until he felt the rage returning. He refused to let the rage consume him in that place, and teleported far away. "Thank you," he whispered, as the sun broke over the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

Once again Helen stood on the North Tower; but this time she wasn't looking out over the city. She was waiting for John. Just after dawn he teleported in, and she walked into his arms.

"Helen," he whispered against her hair.

"I've missed you, John."

"And I've missed you," he replied, still holding her close against him.

"Why? Why did you leave without seeing me?"

He knew she was referring to Hollow Earth. "Adam set his creatures on me. They were going to kill me. It was self defense against them. But to defeat them… I had to let the elemental have free reign. And then seeing Adam, after he taunted me with your death… I have to admit that fight I enjoyed. I wasn't in a fit state to see you. I wasn't in control. It was too dangerous to be near you – near anyone. I wanted to see you, Helen. I wanted to see for myself that you were alive… But… Not when I was like that."

Helen thought about what he'd said. He'd once again separated his actions from the elemental's; and accepted responsibility for his own. She didn't like what she was sure he'd done to Adam, but all things considered, she wouldn't condemn him for it. Not after all Adam had done and planned to do.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked softly.

She tightened her arms around his waist. "No. Stay. I won't lose this day with you. I may not like what you did to Adam, but I do understand it."

"Thank you, Helen," he said, his voice soft. He was glad that she seemed to truly understand and accept the line he'd drawn between himself and the elemental. She was holding him accountable for his actions toward Adam, but not what he'd had to let the elemental do to save himself from the creatures.

John started to move, and Helen was about to protest until she realized he was simply turning her in his arms, and moving them to the edge so they could watch the city. She rested back against him, her hands resting on his in front of her. Half an hour later they went back into Sanctuary together and had a quiet breakfast together, the others having already eaten. As they were about to leave to visit Ashley's grave, Henry approached.

"Henry?" Helen asked, since it was clear he had something on his mind.

"I have something. I've been working on it for a while… I didn't tell you because I didn't want to get your hopes up if it didn't work out," Henry said.

"Can this wait until tomorrow?"

"No. It has to be today. It's for John," Henry explained.

"For me?" John asked.

"Yeah. Your visit last year gave me an idea. You said the creature was 'sleeping' and letting you have control. I realized we'd been going about this the wrong way. We can't find a way to drive the elemental out of you and contain it, but we don't have to. You're the best one to control it. So I was thinking… What if we could make it stay 'asleep', and you be in control like you are today, all the time?"

"You're talking about essentially putting the elemental into a medically induced coma?" Helen said.

"Sort-of. But not drugs – that would just knock out John. So I've had this idea, but no way to make it work – until Hollow Earth. Some of the tech I saw there gave me the answer. I've had it for a couple weeks now, but figured it would have the best chance of working today, when the creature is already 'asleep', and John in control," Henry explained.

John was shocked speechless. A way to be like this all the time? To be with Helen? To have the peace he felt today, instead of the constant struggle to control the elemental? But the elemental had been part of him for so long… Did he really want to lose that? Did he want to lose the edge in a fight that the elemental gave him when he let it have some freedom? He met Helen's eyes and found his answer. He'd lose the edge the elemental gave him if it meant he could be with Helen.

For her part, Helen saw the flicker of doubt in John's eyes. The hesitation. "Henry, we'll join you in a minute. We need to talk."

"I'll be in the lab making sure everything is ready," he said, hurrying away.

John and Helen went to her private sitting room to talk.

"John? I saw the hesitation. The doubt. Please tell me you don't **want** to… keep things as they are."

"Of course I don't, Helen. I don't want to be a danger to you, and other innocents. But the elemental is why I survived the fight with Adam's creatures. And I've had this in me for so long… I want to be with you, Helen. More than anything else. I want **us**. But I also need to be able to fight and protect you."

"I also want **us**, John. And you will still be dangerous; but only to your enemies, not your friends – not me. When I shot at you that night in White Chapel… I didn't want to kill you. I wanted to save those girls. I hated that the only way to do that was to kill you. But now, it doesn't have to be that way. Even without the elemental you are one of the best fighters I've seen in over a century of living, and add to that your ability to teleport… You won't lose any of that. You'll be yourself again, John. The man I still love. Please…"

"I had a moment of doubt. But only a moment. I think I'm entitled to that moment, given what a drastic change this will be."

"Of course you are, John," she said, then leaned in and kissed him.

As they walked down to the lab, John told Helen, "After you had left, Adam accused me of being your lap dog."

Helen chuckled. "You are no one's lap dog, least of all mine. And you know I've always hated lap dogs."

"Yes. Noisy, useless, and always underfoot you called them," John replied.

"You tend to be quiet, and far from useless, and I like having you at my side," Helen replied. She was somehow unsurprised that John still remembered that trivial conversation after more than a century.

"I like being at your side," John replied.

Henry and the others were waiting when they walked in. He held out a pendent.

John took it, and examined it. The chain was silver, and the pendent appeared to be a black stone.

"At least it'll match your clothes," Kate joked.

He put it on, and noticed no difference. The real test would come at dawn. "Thank you, Henry. I appreciate the time and work you put into this." He held out his hand, and Henry shook it.

Helen and John took flowers to Ashley's grave. Helen told Ashley about the past year. "I still miss you so much. I still love you," Helen finished.

"Now, with this pendent, I wish more than ever that you were still here, and we've have a chance to know each other," John said. "Now, when I could perhaps be the father you deserve. I love you, Ashley."

They visited James' grave, then John teleported them to Oxford. After a couple hours of strolling the grounds and enjoying being back there John took them to Rome, where they had lunch as a small outdoor café – though in Rome it was dinner time.

The afternoon was spent in Sanctuary, watching home movies of Ashley as she grew up. Helen was curled up against John, his arms loosely wrapped around her.

"Where would you like to go to dinner," he eventually asked.

"New York. After we eat, I got us tickets to 12th Night."

Both enjoyed dinner and the play, then John took them home. "Have I mentioned how stunning you look in that dress, my dear," John said, admiring the sapphire blue dress Helen wore, and the way it hugged her body and brought out her eyes.

"You did, but I don't mind hearing it again." She knew he loved her in that shade of blue, and bought the dress specifically for this evening.

"Much as I like the dress…"

"You'd rather see me out of it," she finished, giving him an inviting smile. "Then what are you waiting for, John Druitt?" She turned her back so he could unzip her, which he happily did.

"And you look dashing tonight," she told him once she'd turned back around and was undoing the buttons of his shirt.

Hours later Helen was dozing light when John moving slightly away disturbed her. "John?" she asked, reaching out to him.

He took her hand, and kissed it. "I must leave for a short time. I can't be here if the pendent doesn't work. The creature's anger would be… intense. I won't have it near you. If it works, I'll be back within the hour, and would like nothing more than to find you exactly as you are now, my love." He leaned back in to kiss her deeply before leaving the bed.

"Hurry back, Love," she said, leaning back into the pillows.

Once he was gone, Helen got up, put on a nightgown and robe, and went to get breakfast for them.

As the sun rose, John waited for the rage to return. Waited to feel the elemental 'awake'. But it didn't. Making a mental note to find some thank you gift for Henry, John teleported back to Helen's room.

Helen was sitting in the room's bay window, sipping tea. She smiled at John and poured him a cup. "I got us breakfast," she said, handing him the cup.

"Thank you," he said, accepting it and sitting down facing her.

She raised a hand, and placed it on his cheek. "Welcome home, John."

Three months later John was in the Sanctuary library reading, when Helen came in and plucked the book from his hands, before sitting down in his lap. "Was there something you wanted, my dear?"

"Yes. I wanted to know if the offer still stands?"

"Which offer was that?" he asked.

"The offer of marriage."

"Ah, that offer. Yes, Helen, it still stands. Are you accepting it? Is our engagement back on?"

"Yes," she replied, then kissed him.


End file.
